A Non-Game Gamecock =(

[Gresh]

As many of you gamefowl breeders know, awhile ago I posted pics and info on an Oriental gamecock I bought from a local chicken owner. He is a silver duckwing stag that looks to be a cross between a Thai and a Burmese gamefowl.

I originally posted that he seemed very game, picking fights with any free-ranging rooster that came too close to his tie-cord range. However, it seems he is not truly game.

About five days ago, I left town for awhile and left this stag on his line because the other roosters stopped paying him visits. When I came back, the stag had escaped from his tie-cord and had intermingled with the other roosters, without doing any serious fighting. It was obvious he had established some sort of dominance while I had been away, but that he had not seriously wounded anybody. He turns roughly one year old in early-to-mid February and I assume that, if he were truly game, his gamey-ness would've come out by now.

I have read that some "games" are not actually game if they have a lot of space to free-range on. That is the case with my stag. He has roughly 28 acres to range, and he doesn't make too much contact with the other roosters.

What are the professional opinions of all you gamefowl breeders about this situation? Is my cock really game or not? Would he be best used if he was bred for crosses? I know it is generally not a good thing to have non-gamey-ness in gamefowl, so would "game"fowl crosses be my best bet from here?

Thanks!
~Gresh~

 

[RhodeRunner]

Hello Gresh,
I understand what you are trying to express. However, I do not understand the concept that gamefowl must be violent. In my fifteen years of raising games I found these birds to be amongst the best tempered of all my fowl. Yes, they can fight, and when they do they always win, but that doesn’t mean they are looking for a fight, or that they fight to kill.

The fact that your rooster established his dominance over your flock without hurting any of the other roosters doesn’t make him less of a game, but instead a better bird.

I have always free-ranged my games, and do not understand how free-rangeing could make them less game like. People go game hunting and shot a turkey, turkeys free range! Being a game is having what it takes to survive in the wild. These birds are stronger, smarter, and more content their their cousins which are tied to pegs. Yes, birds tied to pegs that don’t get to live how they would naturally, are unsocialized, bottle up more anger, and fight better. But, unless you are breeding for fighting, I don’t understand why a vicious fighter would make a bird a better game.

 

[Ducks and Banny hens]

Well Gresh, I think if he appears game, and he's a good stag, yes you should keep him. If you want roosters that are aggressive toward each other, he wouldn't be a good choice, but for crosses, yes, he's a great choice. However, I'm not a Game-breeder.

 

[gamelife]

Hey Gresh,
Sorry you seemed a little disappointed in your bird, I know you were stoked about getting him.
If I had a stag that acted in that manner I would question his character as well, but you know
your bird better than anyone. If he is immature he may act in such a way. Maybe you could pen
him up with some mature hens, let him man up.
If gamefowl have true deep game it will be in their blood whether they're free ranged,penned or on tie cords. I could see how some would think free ranged gamefowl aren't that game. For instance,
I had went back to an old game farm that I used to visit as kid and the owner had since then let all
his birds loose. There were corners of the property with a cock and a few hens establishing their own territory. When I asked why they weren't fighting the owner said all the gamiest of the game
killed each other off and now they just run wild. Go figure. This is why we cull to keep the deep game.
Anyways, I wouldn't give up on your bird give him some time.
Does he run from the other roosters?
Does he let the other roosters get close to him?